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Devola residents will get the opportunity to learn updates about the upcoming sewer project Tuesday night.
Starting at 7 p.m. at the Gilman Auditorium at Washington State Community College, county officials will give a presentation and be on hand for questions about where the project is in the process.
Washington County Commission President Kevin Ritter said the last public meeting regarding the Washington County Sewer Project was about a year and a half ago. The last public statements from the engineering group WSP Inc. was in October 2020 when a series of videos were posted to the project's website.
Ritter said in the time since the last meeting, they've changed from a grinder pump system to a step down system, and they've received millions of dollars in funding.
A preliminary agenda was released Friday for the meeting and the three commissioners are scheduled to talk. Ritter will do introductions and opening remarks before giving a brief history of the project and available funding sources.
Flite Freimann, director of the Washington County Department of Job and Family Services, has been involved by helping low-income homeowners with possible fees associated with the project. JFS has also helped the county with grant writing for project funding.
Commissioner Jamie Booth will discuss how the sewer system was selected and a generalized timeline for getting work done.
"It'll be the difference between the grinder and the step system," he said. "There are people who still think we are using the grinder pumps."
Freimann said after the commission decided on a pressurized system over the gravity-fed system, "the previous board of commissioners went with the grinder-based system, which wasn't a bad decision and it's not a negative reflection on them."
"We had to have something. They were under a court order and had to get something," Freimann said. "They relied on the recommendation of their engineering firm WSP."
After more investigation, it was determined the grinder pump system would not be used and a step down system would be used instead.
Commissioner Charlie Schilling will then talk about current funding proposals, cost estimates, a review of monthly billing and assistance for low-income households.
"Current funding we're getting and talking about what we're potentially going to get," Schilling said of his topics.
Ritter said funding already received includes:
¯ $386,000 from the Appalachian Regional Council;
¯ $750,000 from H2Ohio;
¯ $1 million from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers;
¯ $10 million from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine through House Bill 168;
¯ $2 million from the county's American Rescue Plan Act funding;
¯ $350,000 from Belpre Township's portion of ARPA funding.
"Which is $14,468,000 million. It gives us 96 percent of the original projected cost of $15 million," Ritter explained.
He said they are still waiting to hear about the request through U.S. Congressman Bill Johnson for $7.5 million.
If that funding comes through, the county's $2 million in ARPA funding will be used on utility infrastructure in other portions of the county, Schilling said.
"Like the sewer structure on the western side of the county," he said. "We're in talks with the City of Marietta and the City of Belpre to potentially connect the sewers of Marietta and Belpre on (Ohio) 7."
He said properties could then connect to the sewer line.
"We would make sure the option is there, but not mandated," Schilling said.
At the end of the presentation, there will be a question and answer period. Freimann will be on hand to answer questions about possibly helping low-income households, while County Engineer Roger Wright will be available for technical questions.
Michele Newbanks can be reached at mnewbanks@mariettatimes.com.